The owner of Chincoteague's grocery store asked town officials to consider ways to help out businesses, including ones like his that stay open during the quiet winter months in the tourism-oriented town.

Lee Armbuster, owner of Island Foods, spoke during a public comment period at the Chincoteague Town Council's Jan. 7 meeting.

Armbuster said he has "concerns about the conditions on Main Street," saying it is not "an appealing environment for the tourists, which we so much depend on in the summertime."

Comparing it to developing a shopping mall, he said developers need to plan to have a strong anchor, along with other stores and attractions, to draw people to the area.

"Here, we have the beach, we have Maddox, we have Main Street — and this is kind of our tourist center," he said, saying Main Street at present has "a diminished draw value."

"My concern for what could happen ... to the summer here on the island, that if we lose the draw value of Main Street, that that's going to diminish the ability of the other island centers to be able to compete," Armbuster said.

He said the grocery store makes no money for six months out of the year.

"Anybody who keeps their business open on the island is probably in the same boat, if they keep it open all winter long," he said, noting it is difficult for an entrepreneur to come in and operate a business that has a four to five month season.

Island Foods' owners feel a community obligation to keep open year around for residents, he said.

He cited a statistic he heard at a council presentation that around 60 percent of revenue to operate the town is generated by tourism.

"When you diminish your ability to draw, that budget loss is going to begin, and it's going to be insidious," he said.

Armbuster called for the town to protect the business of tourism "and have the appropriate sense of urgency to address diminished draw value wherever it might occur."

He said he also owns another store, in Bridgewater, Virginia.

Armbuster said that town has parallels to Chincoteague.

"It has a Main Street that was kind of an eclectic collection of old businesses" and homes that were run-down, he said.

Bridgewater officials decided to purchase properties on the town's Main Street in an effort to improve business conditions, according to Armbuster.

To date, the town has bought three, he said.

On one, they opened a restaurant complex and ice-skating rink. On an adjacent property, they razed an old house and are building a boutique. On a third property they purchased, they razed the existing structure and are opening a movie theater, he said.

"What they did is, they took ownership in their Main Street," Armbuster said, noting the town operates as the landlord for the new businesses.

"It would be better to buy the property, build the building, lease it — you're not operating the property, you're not competing with anybody, you're a landlord," he said, adding, "...It's better to experience a loss on a lease than to experience a loss in tourist revenue."

Armbuster said the town needs to "step up" to help businesses more.

He suggested improving the Main Street area could be a full-time project, requiring a 40-hour a week position.

"The whole Main Street needs to be lifted up," he said, adding, "...It's worthy of a higher sense of urgency."